MARY BERRY'S COFFEE AND WALNUT CUPCAKES - something for the weekend!!

Make afternoon tea special with these palely pretty cakes topped with crunchy walnuts 
By Mary Berry

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes:

• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 115 g butter, softened
• 140 g self-raising flour
• 140 g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 large eggs
• 25 g walnuts

For the coffee icing:

• 2 tsp instant coffee
• 100 g butter, at room temperature
• 225 g icing sugar
• 12 walnut halves, to decorate

METHOD

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Put the coffee granules and 1 tablespoon of boiling water into a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Add the butter, flour, sugar, milk, and eggs and mix with an electric whisk until smooth. Stir in the walnuts, then spoon into the muffin cases. 

2. Bake in the centre of the oven for 2025 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack until stone cold. 

3. For the icing: Put the coffee granules and 2 teaspoons boiling water into a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the butter, sift in the icing sugar, and stir until smooth and free of streaks. 

4. Spoon on to the cupcakes, then decorate each one with a walnut half.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

The cupcakes can be made and iced up to 1 day ahead. Freeze without the icing for up to 1 month. 

How to soften butter: 
To make sure the butter is soft enough to work with, cut it into small cubes and pop into a bowl of lukewarm water. After 10 minutes or so, squeeze one of the cubes it should be lovely and soft.?You can then drain them and use them. 

These are made in muffin tins, which are fairly large, but make them in bun tins if you wish you should get 18 fairy cakes.

http://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/recipe/mary-berrys-coffee-and-walnut-cupcakes-1/